Polyacetylene Conductive Polymer
[caption id="attachment_12124" align="alignleft" width="440"] Acetylene Welding - NASA[/caption] Metals are electrically conductive, yes. But is there such a thing as a polyacetylene conductive polymer? In a sense, a plastic that is not electrically insulative, but electrically conductive, and a top-notch conductor at that? Ethyne (AKA acetylene) polymerizes to polyethyne (polyacetylene) in the presence of copper catalysts. When prepared in an alternate way, polyacetylene (CH)2 exhibits moderate electric conductivity. Oxidation with iodine increases conductivity of the polymer by several powers of ten. In fact, it approaches the specific electrical resistance of silver. In 2000, Shirakawa, Heeger and McDiarmid received the Nobel Price for this discovery. How is the reaction written? And what is so special about polyacetylene conductive polymer? General Schematic Preparation of Polyacetylene The simple saturated molecule ethane is written…